The Gardyn team has been hard at work behind the scenes to bring you our biggest plant release yet, with nine new varieties, including three staples for tea, four new salad greens, and a new and tasty fruiting plant! This is just the first of many exciting releases we have in store this year, so stay tuned.
Chamomile
Chamomile has long been brewed into teas, extracted into tinctures, and included in gourmet dishes. It’s typically used as a calming, anti-anxiety agent and can help defeat bouts of insomnia.
Dry the collected blooms in a temperate, well ventilated space for up to two
weeks, until buds are dry. They are now ready for long term storage in an
air-tight container, and can be added to teas or dishes.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania where it has been a traditional herbal medicine. A member of the grass family, lemongrass is typically dried and brewed in a tea, or crushed and added to soups or dishes.
Lemongrass has been used traditionally as a flavoring in teas or soups to
impart a lemon flavor without tartness. It can be brewed in a medicinal tea for its anti-anxiety, anti-fungal, stimulant, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Stevia
Native to Paraguay, Stevia has long been used as an herbal sweetener. As early as 500 AD, the Guarani people used stevia in hot mate to cut the bitter flavor. Stevia is said to be 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way.
Stevia is most commonly used as a sugar substitute but is also believed to be anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypertensive, antioxidant, antimocroial and
anti-inflammatory.
Red Sails Lettuce
Red Sails has more Vitamin C than other lettuce varieties. Red Sails has ruffled red tinted leaves and a mild flavor. Use Red Sails as a base green in gourmet salads, or to add a bitter-free crunch to burgers.
Lettuce was harvested by the ancient Egyptians, who passed it on to the Greeks and then the Romans who brought it to Europe.
Buttercrunch
Buttercrunch boasts a firm, crunchy texture with a mild, faintly sweet flavor. Mix Buttercrunch in any salad to add depth and texture. Lettuces are particularly high in vitamin A and in Potassium, which supports blood pressure, cardiovascular health, bone strength, and muscle strength.
Butter lettuce is said to have originated in the Mediterranean. Other varieties are based on hybrids of the original lettuces.
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is a variety of romaine lettuce that was bred for its compact height and uniform production. Romaine lettuces are said to have originated on the Greek island of Cos, and likely started as a Mediterranean weed.
Monte Carlo is a compact romaine with a firm texture and sweet flavor. Use Monte Carlo as a replacement for romaine, in Caesar salads or as carb-free taco shells!
Romaine Lettuce
One of our most highly requested varieties, Gardyners can now get traditional Romaine lettuce! Romaine is an incredibly popular salad greens for its firm crunchy texture and mild, sweet flavor. This variety, Paris Island Cos, was bred in the 1950s by USDA and Clemson university.
Lettuces are particularly high in vitamin A and in Potassium, which supports blood pressure, cardiovascular health, bone strength, and muscle strength.
Lollo Rossa
The origins of Lollo Rossa (sometimes called Lollo Rosso) are mysterious, but it has been said it originates from a wild species called Lactuca seriola. It’s known to be a great baby leaf variety to add its tender Mediterranean leaves to salads.
Lollo rossa lettuce features colorful, dense ruffled leaves full of anthocyanin and Vitamin A.
Sugar Snap Peas
Peas likely originated in Egypt or Palestine. In the mid-19th century, Austrian monk Gregory Mendel’s experiments with peas led to discoveries that laid the foundation of modern genetic science.
Peas, including our Sugar Snap Peas, are common culinary ingredients in many cultures. Depending on the pea and preparation, they can add a savory burst to soups and meat pies, or a light and sweet surprise in stir fry.
More to Come!
We are excited to release some fan favorites this round, like Romaine, Buttercrunch, and Sugar Snap Peas. There are many more plants to come on the horizon this year. The possibilities for what you can grow on the Gardyn are truly endless, and we love to see what plants our Gardyners are experimenting with as well!